Tag Archive | "P&A Leadership Summit 2014"

Highlights from the 2014 event

By: Jennifer Nebrich

The fourth annual P&A Leadership Summit proved to be a tremendous success. F&I administrators and managers from across the country came together to connect, network and address the most important issues in the industry at the Paris Las Vegas on September 8-9th. The advisory board, led by David Trinder, CEO, F&I Administration Solutions, succeeded in creating a show rich with in-depth exploration of the most relevant topics facing the industry. Networking opportunities abounded as attendees took advantage of meeting with partners and others in the industry. The insights of the speakers and presenters could not have been more on target, as they shared a wealth of information and offered advice for improving business processes across the board.

Early arrivers were welcomed Sunday evening with cocktails at the meet-and-greet cocktail hour. On Monday, the show kicked off with a luncheon presentation featuring Craig Tessimond, director, Houlihan Lokey. As a seasoned investment banker, Tessimond discussed many aspects of private equity firms – what they look for in a company and why they particularly favor F&I. He looked at numerous factors that drive valuations and how to prepare to sell to a private equity group.

A panel session focusing on reinsurance followed. This panel of experts examined tax regulatory changes over the last ten years, pros and cons of various domiciles, and shared their predictions for the future of reinsurance. Thomas Elliot, executive vice president, StoneEagle, moderated the panel comprised of Gerald Farlow, president, Gerald B. Farlow & Associates; David Kaseff, chief operating officer, MarksNelson; and Charles Wanner, senior vice president, GPW and Associates, Inc..

George Krnich, vice president of claims and risk management, American Auto Guardian, Inc., moderated a panel session on the challenges and opportunities in claims processing. Panelist Jeff Robinson, operations manager, Alpha Warranty Services; Mark Rau, vice president of operations, American Financial & Automotive Services; Frank Pfister, national claims manager, AUL; Kevin Peltzer, senior account executive, Meridian Auto Parts, all shared their experiences and best practices for managing and measuring effectiveness and efficiency of call centers, the adjudication process, parts sourcing, and how to streamline the claims process. This fast paced panel provided valuable tips and ideas applicable to the entire claims process.

In the next session Kelvin Walker and Tim Roncevich of SSAE 16 Professionals discussed how businesses can become better, faster and stronger through the proper use of internal controls. Roncevich and Walker walked the audience through the SSAE 16 audit process and focused on the types of processes that they look for from administrators when completing their audits. They also elaborated on how various controls can guard against and expose fraud, and how controls can be used as a means to set a business apart from its competitors.

The Monday evening keynote address was given by Steve Braskamp, director, Capital One. This session had everyone talking. Braskamp offered many unique statistics illustrating the impact of today’s digital culture on F&I, and looked at the effect of both the returning subprime market and of increasing loan terms. Braskamp examined the rapidly evolving dynamic of ecommerce and its influence on the way people now shop for cars. Attendees departed armed with increased awareness and strategies to better compete in today’s digital age.

Former CFPB’s point man, Rick Hackett, now a partner with Hudson & Cook, discussed disparate impact, flats, the NADA Fair Credit Program, and much more. He forecasted the future direction of the CFPB – a bureau that started out with 12 people, but is now comprised of some 1,700 individuals ­– and its potential role in the industry in coming years.

Tim Meenan, managing shareholder, Meenan Regulatory and Legislative Attorneys, followed with a detailed narrative of recent federal and state regulatory laws that have impacted F&I. Having lobbied for many Senate and House bills affecting the industry, Meenan shared his experiences and provided direction on the necessity of making compliance an integral part of daily business operations.

A panel of actuaries led by Kristen Gruber, president, Dealers Assurance company, discussed everything from the impact of new technology on service contracts, to profitability, earning curves, cancel rates and the effect of lifetime warranties. The panel included: George Belokas, actuary, GPW and Associates, Inc.; Lee Bowron, vice president, Kerper and Bowron, LLC; and Michael Covert, principal, Perr&Knight.

Lance LaCoe, president, Century Automotive, delivered an engaging account of his experience conducting business overseas, and the sometimes startlingly reality that comes with international expansion. From strange dinner entrees to communication dilemmas, LaCoe shared how to identify and avoid common pitfalls and the steps necessary to develop a plan for successful international business expansion.

Finally, Brent Allen, president, StoneEagle; John Jacobs, director of business development, eOriginal, Inc.; Kumar Kathinokkula, COO, F&I Administration Solutions, Inc.; Brian Krasavage, director of product management, ADP Dealer Services; and Ronda Lewis, national director of sales, Dealertrack; shared best practices for paperless processes and the incorporation of eSignatures in F&I. This panel, led by Dan Lievrouw, vice president of operations & I.T., American Guardian Warranty Services, Inc., discussed the advantages and challenges of paperless transactions – from security and legal issues to how banks and the DMV can hinder progress. Each panelist shared unique insights into what the industry needs to do to keep up with the growing consumer demand for paperless transactions – and why automotive is playing catch up with the progress in other industries.

The P&A Leadership Summit speakers represented a wide range of expertise from many unique perspectives. Something of relevance was provided to every attendee and was done in an interesting and engaging manner. Whether you were able to attend or missed the show this year, stay tuned – more on each of the sessions’ topics will be covered in upcoming issues. And the show for next year is already on the books! Plan on being there next year for the fifth annual P&A Leadership Summit, September 9-10, 2015.

LAS VEGAS – At this year’s P&A Leadership Summit a panel of claims and service managers will discuss all aspects of mechanical claims processing and offer solutions for streamlining the process. The panel will address topics such as alternative claims submission, skill sets and training needed for highly qualified adjustors, parts sourcing, technology integration, requirements for outside vendors, and much more. Topics will be addressed from the perspective of how to improve and expedite the claims process.

“We have developed a great team for this session that represents the different perspectives of all those involved in the claims process,” says Krnich, “We know that the ultimate goal in the claims process is to provide an answer to the repair facility as soon as possible so they can begin working on the vehicle. Everyone needs to work towards making the contract holder glad that they brought their vehicle to that repair facility and purchased the vehicle service contract; when we can do that, it is a win-win for all parties involved. The panel members hope to provide solutions for how we can achieve that consistently and to address the common obstacles on the way.”

The presentation will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, September 8, 2014.

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. It is scheduled for Sept. 8-9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. For more information, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727) 940-5823.

LAS VEGAS – At this year’s P&A Leadership Summit a panel of leading experts from systems, DMS, and eSignature providers will discuss all aspects of eSignatures, forms management and systems integration. As well as covering the various ways that eSignatures can be collected, representatives will discuss future visions of forms management along with the challenges of integration and dealer rollout.

“I look forward to the opportunity to discuss eSignatures with the panel,” says Lievrouw, “eSignatures have been available in other industries and in use in dealerships with retail finance contracts for years. Providers of F&I products and their partners in this space need to work together to identify and adopt a seamless process to allow eSignatures to flow across all documents in the F&I office soon if they do not want to be left behind. By the time we are through, the audience will have a clear view of what their systems will need to support for the future.”

The presentation will begin at 3:05 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9, 2014, and will be immediately followed by the Industry Summit Awards Program and exhibit hall reception.

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. It is scheduled for Sept. 8-9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. For more information, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)-940-5823.

I am very pleased to say that the P&A Leadership Summit advisory board has worked tirelessly to put together the most relevant show I can remember for administrators and providers of F&I products. Not only have they focused on the most relevant topics, but they have also helped secure a great list of speakers, all of whom will surely provide opinions and suggestions that will give you much to think about on your journeys’ home.

Our mandate was to build a show that focused on the key areas administrators are concerned with – profitability, efficiency, and how to prepare for the future, all while considering technology, and the changing requirements of agents and dealers. Each board member took one or two topics and helped us put just the right focus on each. The sessions will promote thinking not only on the issues today, but how they will affect the way business will be conducted tomorrow.

We have panel of seasoned leaders in reinsurance lined up to share with you their expertise and insights. They will examine various domiciles and evaluate the benefits, challenges and offerings of each. StoneEagle’s Thomas Elliot will moderate as the panel addresses topics such as the impact of the regulatory environment, IRS scrutiny, current trends, and expectations for the future of reinsurance.

The claims panel will be moderated by George Krnich and will have three claims managers and two service managers. No topic is off limits. Inspections, parts sourcing, technology, communication (call center) challenges and much more will be discussed. With luck, the audience will have their own questions that will get the panel going with some healthy discussion.

Kristin Gruber has worked hard with a panel of top actuaries to put together a session that will address topics such as how to price more accurately with less data, how to keep up with current trends and of course how to manage the profitability of VSCs, GAP and other products.

I do not think there is a more qualified person than Lance LaCoe to provide a sound perspective on expanding internationally. In addition to some great anecdotes that highlight the quirks of international expansion, his presentation will provide some invaluable insights. LaCoe will share first hand knowledge of the critical elements to consider before committing to international markets, how to identify opportunities internationally and then what it will take to successfully execute a business plan.

We have a team from SSAE 16 Professionals who will talk about the expectations on a business when doing an SSAE 16 audit. I expect that not everyone is interested in going through the SSAE 16 audit process, but these gentlemen will offer a unique lens through which attendees can view their own businesses as they examine the controls they currently have in place. You will come away from this session with some excellent food for thought on ways you could improve your business’s day-to-day operating practices, whether or not you intend to complete the SSAE 16 audit.

Craig Tessimond’s keynote speech will discuss the growing trend of private equity. Whether or not you are considering selling to a private equity firm, there is much value in being aware of how an outsider would determine the value of an F&I third party administrator. In addition to discussing valuation methods and considerations, Tessimond will discuss what is involved in the sale process. I think this will be an informative session for everyone.

When it comes to the growing role that the CFPB is taking in our industry, who better could we to have speak on the subject than someone who has been part of, and influenced, the thinking of the CFPB? Rick Hackett understands the CFPB’s mindset and will share the direction and role he sees this bureau taking in the future. Expect to come away from this session with a more solid grounding from which to evaluate the CFPB and how it will affect us going forward.

Steve Braskamp, will keynote for both the Industry Summit and the P&A Leadership Summit. Steve, as director of Capital One will give us the inside perspective on the auto finance segment.

Then there is Tim Meenan. We could not think of a better person to talk about today’s regulatory environment. He is clearly one of the country’s leading experts. He will talk about the regulatory and legislative issues that are coming down the pipeline and give you a broader sense of how these issues are going to affect your business.

The last session will be about the future with particular emphasis on technology. Dan Lievrouw, VP of Operations and IT at American Guardian Warranty, will moderate leading experts on electronic signatures, what the options are, the challenges of rollout, how lenders will view them and what the technological challenges are to making them mainstream. With DMS providers and other system providers on the panel, this is your chance to think about technology in your businesses and how it needs to be managed and developed to support signatures and other necessary developments. This session will get everyone thinking about how to position their business not to be left behind.

The September P&A Leadership Summit offers the once a year opportunity for F&I administrators and professionals to get together, discuss key issues, and network. This is THE annual event for the industry. I look forward to a great turnout, meeting you all again and, like you, coming away with much food for thought.

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. The show will take place September 8-9, 2014 at Paris Las Vegas. The Full Agenda and information on the Speakers and Presenters is now available. For more information, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)940-5823.

LAS VEGAS – Organizers of the P&A Leadership Summit 2014 have announced that today is the last day on which attendees can register for the conference at a reduced rate. The event will be held September 8-9, 2014 at Paris Las Vegas.

David Gesualdo, show chair and publisher of P&A, F&I and Showroom and Auto Dealer Monthly, says, “A recent surge in registrations has left the event’s room block nearly filled. I hope everyone will take advantage of the early-bird discount today as well as the discounted room block rate. All conference attendees will appreciate the convenience and savings of staying on site and registering early.”

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. The show will take place September 8-9, 2014 at Paris Las Vegas. The Full Agenda and information on the Speakers and Presenters is now available. For more information, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)-940-5823.

LAS VEGAS – This is the final week of early-bird registration for the P&A Leadership Summit. According to show organizers, Friday, August 8, 2014 will be the last day to take advantage of the early-bird registration discount.

The P&A Leadership Summit will be held September 8-9, 2014 at Paris Las Vegas. Click here to register now.

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. For more information, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)-940-5823.

LAS VEGAS – A panel of seasoned industry leaders will take a look at many of the issues impacting reinsurance today. The panel will examine the current regulatory environment and discuss differences and benefits among varying domiciles. They will discuss the material impact of coming trends and IRS scrutiny, and will share their expectations on how reinsurance will evolve in the future.

David Trinder, this year’s advisory board chair and CEO of F&I Administration Solutions, says, “This panel represents an outstanding degree of expertise in the area of reinsurance. The list of topics that will be addressed will be of great interest to all. This is a session you won’t want to miss.”

The presentation will begin at 1:25 p.m. on Monday, September 8, 2014, immediately following the welcome luncheon presentation.

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. It is scheduled for Sept. 8-9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. For more information, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)-940-5823.

LAS VEGAS – Craig Tessimond, director of Houlihan Lokey will open the P&A Leadership Summit with a luncheon presentation at noon on Monday, September 8, 2014 at Paris Las Vegas.

Tessimond is a seasoned investment banker with more than a decade of experience closing deals and providing corporate finance advisory services in the F&I industry. As director of Houlihan Lokey’s Washington D.C. office, his focus is on leading the financial institutions group coverage of the insurance industry. His presentation, Demystifying the Growing Trend of Private Equity, will examine how investors look at and value F&I product administrators, and will also review the due diligence process for a company considering selling to a private equity group.

David Gesualdo, show chair and publisher of P&A, F&I and Showroom and Auto Dealer Monthly magazines, says, “Tessimond’s unique position and experience with the F&I industry gives him a perspective that all will benefit from. I can’t think of a better way to start a fantastic show this year.”

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. It is scheduled for Sept. 8-9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. For more information, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)-940-5823.

Lance LaCoe, president of Century Automotive, will deliver a presentation entitled, Thoughts on International Expansion on day two of this year’s P&A Leadership Summit.

LaCoe brings more than 20 years of experience in the automotive and insurance industry, including dealership operations consulting and global relationship and cross-cultural development to this year’s P&A Leadership Summit.

Before joining Century, LaCoe spent seven years at Protective Life, eventually in the role of vice president of international sales and dealer initiatives. There, LaCoe developed strategies to establish and grow international markets, and managed a team of international staff. As a legal representative for Pu Tai Qi, An Automotive Technology and Consulting Service, LaCoe lived in China and worked with the company to secure resources, partnerships, and insurance, while also hiring, training and managing the staff in Beijing.

In his presentation, LaCoe will share his experiences of working in China for three years and will discuss the numerous considerations of international expansion. The presentation will begin at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.

David Trinder, president F&I Administration Solutions, LLC, says, “With LaCoe’s leadership and international experience, he is the ideal candidate to speak on the topic of international expansion for VSC product providers. This is an excellent addition to the show and I am personally looking forward to his presentation.”

The P&A Leadership Summit is a show that is jointly managed by P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. It is scheduled for Sept. 8-9 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. For more info, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)-940-5823.

“If you had a full-time actuary on staff, what would he or she say about the profitability trends in your F&I products?” asks Gruber, “Are there unprofitable pockets of business that are jeopardizing your back-end profits? Are you appropriately targeting the most profitable segments of your business? Are you getting adversely selected against because you don’t understand the latest trends in the market? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, attend our panel session, Actuarial Insights into Today’s F&I Products, and benefit from the extensive knowledge that these three actuaries will share!”

The second annual P&A Leadership Summit is scheduled for September 8-9, 2014 at the Paris Las Vegas. The actuarial panel session is scheduled for day two of the conference on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at 11:15 a.m..

Look for more session highlights as we get closer to P&A Leadership Summit 2014.

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. It is scheduled for Sept. 8-9 at Paris Las Vegas. For more info, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)-940-5823.

Las Vegas – Organizers of the 2014 P&A Leadership Summit have announced the release of this year’s full agenda. This premiere industry event for F&I administrators, senior managers, and anyone involved in the administration of F&I products will be held September 8th and 9th at Paris Las Vegas.

Attendees will be welcomed on the evening of Sunday, September 7th with happy hour and registration from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. The show officially begins at noon on Monday with a luncheon presentation.

David Trinder, this year’s advisory board chair and CEO of F&I Administration Solutions, says “Attendees can look forward to a superb conference. The advisory board has gone to great lengths to put together a show that will address the most relevant issues for today’s industry professionals.”

The afternoon will feature three panel sessions exploring issues and opportunities in reinsurance, the many dynamics of claims processing and the controls F&I administrators need in place to operate at optimal efficiency and effectiveness. The 5:00 p.m. evening keynote will wrap up day one.

On day two of the show, former CFPB point man for the auto finance industry, Rick Hackett, partner, Hudson and Cook LLP, will begin the morning with a keynote address.

Tim Meenan, managing shareholder, Meenan Regulatory and Legislative Attorneys, will follow, with a keynote address discussing regulatory laws and their impact on service contract providers.

The afternoon sessions will feature such topics as international expansion and a panel on the growing market trends and opportunities for increasing efficiencies and automation in the F&I industry.

Full travel, conference and speaker information is available on the P&A Leadership Summit website. Click HERE to register now and save.

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. For more info, visit pa-leadershipsummit.com or contact Eric Gesualdo via email hidden; JavaScript is required or at (727)-940-5823.